According to MLive readers who voted in a recent online poll, the two locations in Jackson to get the best barbecue are West Texas Barbeque and Mat’s Café and Catering. The poll received 1,473 votes, with West Texas getting about 50 percent and Mat’s about 35 percent.

Name of owner/pitmaster: Dan Huntoon, a self-described “old barbecue man, not a chef.”

How long have you been in the barbecue business? Almost 30 years. West Texas Barbecue opened in 1985.

How would you describe your barbecue style and sauce? What I do, I do Texas style, just like I learned in Texas.

What is your technique? The rib recipes, the sauce – all that I brought back with me (from Texas). It’s almost like a religion to them down there. You don’t mess with it. If you don’t have patience, you’ve got no business being in this business. A lot of people try to hurry it along, but you’ve got to let it cook for 24 to 36 hours – and we get up and go through that process every day. Some people use an electric slicer because it saves time, but we hand carve everything. I’ve had barbecue all over the country, and I’ve had a lot of bad barbecue. It’s easy to use an electric slicer if the brisket’s only half-cooked. Barbecue is suppose to be so tender an old person with no teeth can eat with no problem.

What kind of wood do you use? Oak

What do you consider your signature or most-popular dish? Beef brisket or baby back ribs